FA Cup fourth-round upset watch: Potential surprises include Wrexham and Birmingham

The FA Cup’s reputation for springing surprises will be on the line again this weekend as the fourth-round ties offer lower-division and non-League clubs a fresh chance to humble higher-tier opposition. With 32 teams remaining, three fixtures stand out as prime candidates for cupsets.

Wrexham v Ipswich Town Racecourse Ground, Friday 13 February, 19:45 GMT Phil Parkinson’s Wrexham, already buoyant after eliminating Premier League Nottingham Forest on penalties in the third round, host Championship promotion rivals Ipswich Town. Only seven points separate sixth-placed Wrexham from third-placed Ipswich, yet the Welsh side arrive at this junction on a three-match home winless streak and without a 90-minute victory on their own turf in 2026. A tight contest is forecast: the clubs drew 0-0 at Portman Road in November, and Parkinson’s preference for a compact defensive shape could frustrate Kieran McKenna’s possession-oriented visitors. A Wrexham win would not rank among the competition’s greatest shocks, but it would still buck the recent form book.

Birmingham City v Leeds United St Andrew’s, Saturday 14 February, 15:00 GMT Birmingham, League One champions last season, have turned St Andrew’s into a fortress, losing just once there in 16 league outings this campaign. Chris Davies’ team are unbeaten in eight matches since a 3-0 reverse at Watford on New Year’s Day and have scored in 16 of 18 home fixtures across all competitions. Leeds, hovering above the Premier League drop zone, have lost only two of 14 matches since December, yet manager Daniel Farke may rotate his squad to safeguard top-flight survival. Leeds have kept one clean sheet in eight games, a vulnerability Birmingham’s in-form attack will target. The West Midlands club have the credentials to claim a notable scalp.

Grimsby Town v Wolves Blundell Park, Sunday 15 February, 13:30 GMT Relegation-threatened Wolves have mustered more than one goal only once in 18 fixtures since late October and are winless in 13 away games this season, scoring five and losing 10. Grimsby, resurgent in League Two, have won seven of nine matches to climb into play-off contention. Blundell Park, where Manchester United were humbled in the Carabao Cup in August, promises a raucous atmosphere and a pitch that may not suit Wolves’ Premier League polish. While the visitors’ talent edge is obvious, the Mariners possess momentum and home advantage, the classic ingredients for a cup earthquake.

With places in Monday’s last-16 draw at stake, the FA Cup’s weekend menu offers ample potential for fresh chapters of giant-k folklore.